The Shin-kicking Olympics – rules and misunderstandings

The rules for the Cotswold Olimpicks sport are simple: kick the opponent’s shins until they fall to the ground. Best of three. Shin-kickers are permitted to stuff straw sown socks, leg-warmers or tights to lessen the impact.

But James Wiseman, an official judge, senses confusion. He explains:

“I kind of get quite annoyed when people think that shin kicking is quite literally two guys facing each other and kicking each other as hard as possible in the shins. The easiest ways to describe it is it’s a bit like wrestling but with a lot of contact below the knees.

“The idea is really to throw the person to the ground, but to throw the person to the ground you’ve got to unbalance by kicking them first.”